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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17945 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 266 of them this year alone and, so far, 22 this month (April 8).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 17: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Only Six Standards.
Thu 17: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Fri 18: Alexia Gardner @ Fika Gallery, Oldgate, Morpeth NE61 1LT. 7:00pm. Trio (Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy).RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13

Fri 18: Sarah Jane Morris & Tony Remy: The Sisterhood @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.

Sat 19: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 19: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 20: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 20: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: C.A.L.I.E @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Celebrating Charlie Parker

Events worldwide marking the centenary of the birth of Charlie Parker (August 29, 1920) have been scaled back to due to the ongoing pandemic. Concerts with socially distanced audiences, behind-closed-doors live streams and radio and television programmes will commemorate the occasion. One way or another it shouldn't be too difficult to catch something over the next few days.

Thursday (Aug 27) at Ronnie Scott's could prove to be a highlight among highlights. The latest in the Frith Street, Soho club's Return Sessions features Gilad Atzmon with a string quartet live streaming from 7:00pm. When it comes to playing the music of Charlie Parker, alto saxophonist Atzmon is arguably as good as anyone on the planet. Joining Atzmon will be the ace rhythm section of Ross Stanley, piano, Dave Whitfield, bass, Chris Higginbottom, drums and the Sigamos String Quartet (Ros Stephen, violin, Marianne Haynes, violin, Felix Tanner, viola and Laura Anstee, cello). 


On Saturday (one hundred years to the day of Parker's birth) Mark Toomey will be live streaming at two o'clock from St Peter's Church, Stockton. Toomey readily concedes that live stream technology is new to him so, check out the alto saxophonist's Facebook page (and possibly YouTube). The alto saxophonist's regular quartet - Jeremy McMurray, piano, Peter Ayton, bass and drummer Paul Smith - will be alongside him on what promises to be a grand occasion.  

If you happen to be in Kansas City on Saturday (you neve know!) the American Jazz Museum will be presenting a marathon twelve hours of performances dedicated to Bird. The action begins at 7:00am (!) when the first of many bands takes to the stage, culminating at 5:30pm with the great Bobby Watson. You'll be there? Write a review! 

BBC Radio 3's J to Z (Saturday, 5:00pm), presented by Julian Joseph, is dedicated to Bird and his legacy. Guests include Sheila Jordan, Django Bates, Nathaniel Facey and Alan Barnes. When it comes to Charlie Parker this lot know what they're talking about!

And to Sunday. At St James' and St Basil's Church, Fenham, Newcastle (3:00pm) pianist Dean Stockdale, in the company of Mick Shoulder, bass and drummer Russ Morgan will be playing a few numbers associated with Charlie Parker together with some original material. The concert in the church grounds is weather dependent. The forecast is reasonably favourable (13° 'with a low chance of precipitation'). Bird Lives!  
Russell                 

2 comments :

Lance said...

Russell - you omitted to mention the Jazz Coop's celebration at the Globe on Sept. 6! The Alan Law Trio with Jordan Alfonso on alto promises to be really special. Mark Toomey's gig, which has already been profiled by Mark himself also looks good - when it comes to paying tribute to Bird then you need an alto player who can handle it - these guys can.

I love Dean Stockdale's piano playing - he is one of the best - but I find that, on such an auspicious occasion, to pay only lip service to the man is disappointing to say the least. In normal times, on that weekend, alto sax players would be in greater demand than bagpipers on New Year's Eve. However, these aren't normal times so I'm sure there would have been some musicians available. How about a tribute to Oscar Peterson without a pianist?

Or did the church object to Parker's lifestyle?

Russell said...

Lance - I omitted, but didn't ignore or forget about Jordan's forthcoming gig. It is simply that the Jazz Co-op gig is a week or more after the Bird 'weekend'. Jordan's gig is one I'd love to be at!

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